Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Salary - 2023 National & State Figures

Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org

A family nurse practitioner (FNP) serves under a physician to provide basic and specialty healthcare above and beyond the care provided by most registered nurses. He or she may diagnose illnesses and prescribe certain medications based on the scope of practice in his or her state. It is a lucrative career that offers many rewards, including an excellent salary and a pathway to even more careers. Here, you will learn more about the average family nurse practitioner salary in the United States and the factors affecting it.

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On an Average How Much Does A Family Nurse Practitioner Make?

A family nurse practitioner earns an average annual salary of $123,070 each year, which is equal to $59.17 an hour or $10,260 a month. This is typically a somewhat salaried position that relies more on patient load than hours worked, so the hourly salary is not representative of hours spent reviewing cases outside the practice or facility walls. There are several factors that can affect the average FNP salary, as well, including experience, employer, location, and more.

Salary of an FNP by Level of Experience

Experience plays a huge role in the pay of a family nurse practitioner. Immediately after graduating and receiving licensure, family nurse practitioner salary is $85,700 – about the same as an experienced registered nurse. However, after just five to nine years, that salary increases to $118,950, and after 20 years or more, an FNP will earn $166,760 on average.

Salary Outlook for this Occupation

Entering the best family nurse practitioner program, you can find now is an investment in your future. The average salary is expected to increase slightly more year by year between now and 2030. In fact, over the next five years, your salary will grow by 16.69% or $20,543 a year. Numerous factors will influence this salary growth, including the increased need for highly-skilled healthcare professionals to provide diagnosis and treatment plans to patients. FNPs are increasingly relied on – even over physicians – for the less complicated cases.

10 Best States for an FNP to Work

1. Texas:

Texas is one of the best states for FNPs for a variety of reasons, but the average annual salary of $127,470 is certainly a nice start. FNPs play important roles in many Texas facilities, including some of the state’s best colleges, such as Texas A&M University’s medical center. Texas has a growing population, and many private physicians and specialists continue to hire family nurse practitioners to help them manage their overall caseloads.

2. California:

California is by far the highest-paying state for family nurse practitioners, especially in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. You will earn an average of $145,150 each year in this state, and the job opportunities are ample, too. Not only can you get work in a hospital like the UCSF Medical Center, but you can also seek employment with one of dozens of prestigious plastic surgeons, too.

3. Florida:

The average salary of a family nurse practitioner in Florida is $114,420, and the job outlook is phenomenal. Florida has one of the fastest-growing populations in the country, and because much of the population is elderly, the demand for healthcare providers is especially high. Nursing homes are a leading employer of FNPs in this state, but other facilities like hospitals and private doctors’ offices rely on them, as well.

4. Ohio:

As an FNP in Ohio, you will earn an average annual salary of $116,460, and you will have the opportunity to work in some of the best teaching hospitals in the country. This includes the University of Cincinnati, which offers groundbreaking research, treatment, and care to both children and adults. Ohio is also home to numerous specialists relying on FNPs for caseload management.

5. Indiana:

Indiana is one of the fastest-growing states for FNP employment, and by seeking a position here, you could earn $116,530 a year. Though Indiana is not home to prestigious medical schools, it does have an aging population and bustling urban areas in places like Evansville and Indianapolis. These areas are considered underserved by doctors, so family nurse practitioners are always in high demand.

6. Illinois:

In Illinois, the average FNP salary is $116,740 a year. Most FNPs work in bigger urban areas like Chicago, Champaign-Urbana, and Peoria, but you will also find family nurse practitioners in smaller towns to provide care where doctors are in short supply. Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Rush University Medical Center, both in Chicago, are among some of the biggest employers of FNPs in the state.

7. New Jersey:

Family Nurse Practitioners in New Jersey earn $134,680 a year, and many work at what are often called the best hospitals in the region, including Morristown Medical Center, Hackensack University Medical Center, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. New Jersey is also home to numerous renowned specialists like plastic surgeons and fertility experts, which are also hot places of employment for FNPs.

8. New York:

If you have ever dreamed of working at some of the world’s best hospitals, including New York Presbyterian, Mount Sinai, or NYU Langone Medical Center, you are certainly not alone. Now more than ever, these facilities rely on the help of FNPs to help triage patients through emergency departments, check up on patients in general care wings, and even help talk nervous mothers through labor. In New York, FNPs earn $134,200 a year, on average.

9. Massachusetts:

If you choose to work as a family nurse practitioner in Massachusetts, you will earn $137,550 a year, on average. Some of the most prominent hospitals employing FNPs include Massachusetts General, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Baystate Medical Center. FNPs also play an important role working alongside obstetricians, which are in especially short supply across the state.

10.Tennessee:

Nashville, Tennessee is one of the best places in the country for nightlife, and that means it also has bustling hospitals. Vanderbilt University Medical Center is by and large one of the best research hospitals in the country, and it also provides outstanding patient care. FNPs also work for physicians and in nursing homes to help provide care to Nashville’s growing elderly population, and in doing so, they earn an average of $107,590 a year.

10 Best Cities for an FNP to Work

1. New York City:

Family nurse practitioners in New York City have virtually every door imaginable open to them. They can work for a hospital, a nursing home, or a world-renowned physician. In NYC, the average annual FNP salary is one of the highest in the country, too, at $140,660.

2. Boston:

Boston, Massachusetts is one of the most populated cities in America, and it’s also one of the highest paying for family nurse practitioners, who earn an average annual salary of $141,490. Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital are both important employers of FNPs.

3. Los Angeles:

FNPs in Los Angeles are some of the highest paid in the country, and they earn $146,800 a year, on average. Though hospitals and doctor’s offices are still the biggest employers of FNPs in LA, many work for world-renowned plastic surgeons who provide their amazing services to some of the world’s biggest celebrities.

4. Philadelphia:

A family nurse practitioner in Philadelphia earns an average annual salary of $116,340, and the vast majority work in private doctors’ and specialists’ offices. Pennsylvania Hospital and Hahnemann University Hospital are two more of the city’s biggest FNP employers. Some even prefer to work at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children on Erie Avenue.

5. Chicago:

Chicago-area family nurse practitioners work in a few different specialties including emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, labor and delivery, and primary care. They earn an average annual salary of $118,130, and some of the biggest Chicago employers include Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, Rush University Medical Center, and the University of Illinois Hospital.

6. Dallas:

Dallas is home to some of the country’s most prestigious hospitals and cutting-edge trauma centers, so it comes as no surprise that many family nurse practitioners call this city home. With an average annual salary of $123,990 a year, they earn more than many other FNPs across the country, too. Some of the biggest employers in Dallas include Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital and the Texas Institute for Surgery.

7. Miami:

Miami is every vacationer’s dream, and it’s certainly no stranger to injury and illness. Miami also boasts a large aging population, which means the demands for quality healthcare are far above average here. Miami FNPs earn around $114,030 a year, and they work in a variety of places like the University of Miami Hospital and Mercy Hospital.

8. Atlanta:

Atlanta is an amazing city filled with urban action and surrounded by rural beauty. As a family nurse practitioner, you can earn an average annual salary of $121,850 a year and work with some of the nation’s most prominent specialist surgeons in locations like Emory University Hospital and Piedmont Atlanta Hospital.

9. Houston:

Houston is one of the most populated cities in Texas, and because of this, nurse practitioners play a vital role to the overall healthcare industry in the city. FNPs are incredibly highly paid in Houston and earn $144,700 a year, on average. They work at the famed Texas Children’s Hospital, Shriner’s Hospital for Children, and various doctor’s offices and nursing homes.

10. San Francisco:

Family nurse practitioners in San Francisco are the highest paid in the country. They earn an average annual salary of $158,450, topping even the salaries in LA and New York City. San Francisco-area FNPs work in specializations like plastic surgery, obstetrics, and fertility, and many work in the USCF Medical Center or at the California Pacific Medical Center, too.

Average FNP State Wise Salary

The state in which you work will have an impact on your overall salary. In California, you will earn a salary of $145,150 a year, on average, while in Alabama, you will earn an average annual salary of $108,630.

Average FNP City Wise Salary

The city where you are employed can also have an impact on your salary. The highest-paying cities are also the most populated, and include San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Houston, Sacramento, Boston and New York.

Where Do Majority of Family Nurse Practitioners Work?

Hospitals:

Hospitals are among some of the biggest employers of FNPs, particularly in emergency rooms. They may treat fevers, infections, and other common issues that are seen in the ER.

Physicians' Offices:

FNPs are especially helpful for physicians as their caseloads continue to grow. Nurse practitioners may see patients for intake and follow-up, then refer complex problems to the physician.

Private Practice:

FNPs who have special interests in things like cardiology or obstetrics can be found in private practices across the country to improve the overall level of care provided.

Home Health Services:

Though family nurse practitioners are not as common in home health as registered nurses, they do play important roles. They can prescribe antibiotics and other medicines more quickly than doctors – and without asking the patient to come into the office.

Outpatient Facilities:

Outpatient facilities like clinics, treatment centers, and laboratories employ a great deal of family nurse practitioners. They can provide more services than a registered nurse without requiring the presence of a physician.

Public/Community Health Centers:

Family nurse practitioners are indispensable in public and community healthcare settings. They may help in providing immunizations, check-ups, STD screenings, and other important services.

School Clinics:

Finally, FNPs bridge gaps between registered nurses and doctors in school settings. Their extended scope of practice allows them to prescribe medications (with parent permission) and more adequately treat injuries before parents arrive.

What Are the Working Conditions Like for Family Nurse Practitioners?

A family nurse practitioner’s working conditions will vary somewhat depending on the industry in which he or she works as well as his or her employer. In an emergency room, work can be fast-paced and stressful, and it may require a great deal of heavy lifting. In a podiatrist’s office, things are much more predictable, and the stress is greatly reduced. No two facilities or employers offer the same working conditions, so FNPs should be willing to remain flexible in this regard.

What Are the Typical Working Hours of an FNP?

Like conditions, hours will also vary depending on the employer. An FNP working in the trauma center of a hospital may work 60 or more hours a week, including weekends, holidays, and overnights. On the other hand, in a podiatrist’s office, hours are typically limited to daytime hours with very few weekends (if any at all) and almost never any holidays.

Projected Job Openings for FNP Graduates

Family nurse practitioners have access to numerous job openings every year, and these openings will continue to rise between now and 2028. In 2023, there were 18,120 new and replacement jobs available, but by 2028, there will be 21,981.

10-Year Job Outlook for This Occupation

The 10-year outlook for a family nurse practitioner is one of the best in the healthcare. Between 2020 and 2030, some 79,230 more FNPs will be required to keep up with the demands of a growing medical industry. That is a jaw-dropping growth of 45.68% - much more than for most other industries. As people continue to demand better quality healthcare, doctors alone will no longer be able to provide it, and registered nurses lack the scope of practice to diagnose and treat injuries outside of a physician’s orders. FNPs fill this gap, which means the demand will continue to climb. As a result, now is the time to look at the best family nurse practitioner programs if you’re interested in this career.